As another year at OSD draws to a close, we want to reflect on another wonderfully creative, collaborative, and craft-filled year! Here are the top seven highlights from a brilliant year.
Outstanding Ofsted Results
As a world-leading Drama School, we pride ourselves on our ability to continue improving and responding to the needs of our students and staff. This year, the results of our most recent OFSTED Report were published, and we were awarded Outstanding status in all areas of inspection.
This report was a testament to our adaptability and resilience, recognising us as one of the best training institutions in the UK. Although being classified as outstanding is a great achievement, we will continue to listen to our community and find ways to improve the student experience.
You can read more about our Ofsted results here.
Three New Staff Members
Over the Summer Break, OSD announced the appointment of three new members of staff. Seamus Allen, Jane Jeffery, and Gemma Maddock joined us as Head of Foundation, Senior Acting Tutor, and Head of Voice, respectively.
Seamus, Jane, and Gemma have all brought a wealth of experience and fresh energy to OSD. It’s been wonderful to have them with us, and we’re looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us as the academic year progresses.
Musical Theatre Foundation Gets Underway
As the academic year got underway in September, we welcomed our first few Acting with Musical Theatre Foundation Students. This new course is still in its early stages, but our tutors and students are all thoroughly enjoying themselves, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the next cohort of students as the audition cycle gets underway again in the New Year.
Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer Success
Baby Reindeer, created by and starring OSD Alumni Richard Gadd, had a fantastic night at the Emmys in September.
Baby Reindeer was nominated for eleven Emmys, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Of those eleven nominations, Baby Reindeer won an impressive six. OSD Alumni Richard Gadd won three awards: Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Lead Actor, and Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
Sandro Rosta Joins Star Trek Family
This year also brought the fantastic casting news that 2024 graduate of the Three Year Course, Sandro Rosta, joined the cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, a new addition to the Trek Universe set to premier on Paramount+. Sandro will star as one of the young Cadets who “come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism…as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.”
Alongside Sandro, the show will also star Oscar-winner Holly Hunter as the academy’s Captain and Chancellor and Oscar Nominee Paul Giamatti as the central villain. The show began filming this summer in Toronto
Nico Minott Wins Laurence Olivier Bursary
Back in July, Nico Minott (current Third Year Student) became one of 18 students to be awarded a Laurence Olivier Bursary. Nominees, put forward by drama schools across the UK, are auditioned on a West End stage and interviewed by a panel of theatre industry professionals, led by West End producer and Chair of the Laurence Olivier Bursaries Committee, Lee Menzies. This year’s auditions took place at St Martin’s Theatre with the awards being announced in early July.
Previous bursary winners include Michaela Cole, Denise Gough, Ewan McGregor and Michael Sheen, so Nico is in some very esteemed company!
You can read more about the awards in this article from The Stage.
New Bursaries Established
We recently announced the establishment of new bursaries with the support of The Ashley Family Foundation. These bursaries for Welsh students are aimed at improving access to the arts for rural communities in Wales, and those from underrepresented communities in Wales. Accessing the arts is becoming harder every year, with worsening cuts to arts institutions and arts education, envisioning and attaining a career in the arts is harder than ever before. We know that the key to mitigating the widening cultural gap is financial support, so we’re thrilled to be able to expand our bursary provision. The bursaries are available for anyone applying to the One and Three Year courses beginning in September 2025.
And Finally...
Of course, the highlight of every year at OSD are our fantastic students. Special congratulations to all our students who graduated this year, we know you’ll go on to do wonderful things in the industry. It’s been another exceptional year filled the collaboration, creativity, and craft, and we can’t wait to see what the next year will bring!
